Brief Role Description

This position is a career level 20P and is located in Auburn Hills, MI with a role classification of Hybrid.

• Feed the US development, sales and lifecycle phases within the accessory channel for the Audi Brand aftersales team in the US.
• Create an accessory development process together with all liaisons at Global headquarter level (e.g. AUDI AG Quality, R&D, Legal).
• Lead accessory development projects from concept to launch milestones.  Plan and manage development projects for localized accessories and ensures that the products meet and exceed Volkswagen’s Group technical and quality requirements.
• Own relationships with the colleagues from AUDI AG to ensure technical approvals for the respective products and drive day-to-day engineering functions through the supervision of project plans and milestones. He or she will be responsible for all technical and project-related documents and for testing and validation with laboratories.
• In charge of all project-related communications with technical counterparts in Germany and manage relationships and technical discussions with AUDI factories related to accessories.

Possible Tasks within this Role

Main responsibility – assign 80% of time spent

• Ideation phase:
  • Support After Sales Business Development Manager to identify gaps in AGA product portfolio to realize local sourced opportunities 
• Product planning phase:
  • Manage research and analysis of accessories & applications in the market
  • Conduct concept and feasibility studies
  • Preparation of product decision forms for internal decision makers. Points for consideration:
    • Technical – Tech. premises, feasibility, timeline
    • Sales – Planned sales volume, requested product features
    • Pricing/ Controlling – Financial KPI’s, Benchmark pricing
    • Quality – German GQ requirements, Test procedure, VWGoA Group integration
    • Design - Feedback from AUDI Design
  • Upon completion of consulting with all internal counterparts, the role is responsible for the “Lastenheft” (technical specification / requirement sheet)
• Product realization phase:
  • Supports the initial contact phase with pot. suppliers:
    • • • Preparation of inquire documents for the purchasing dept.
        • Evaluation of quotes and feedback from the supplier
        • Support commissioning of service
      • Project kick-off
        • Organization and conducting of kick-off with all required participants
        • Management of all project related documents (Meeting Minutes etc.)
      • Product developments process
        • Create and manage development project plan
        • Tracking of individual project milestones
        • Escalate critical path milestones in a timely manner
        • In case of deviations or delays – definition of counter measures with all respective parties
        • Control and management of project related budget
        • Coordinate and manage technical drawings, reports and documentation
        • Ensure on schedule market introduction
      • Technical development process
        • Creation and review of test plan with related counter parts
        • Finalization of product design together with AUDI AG
        • Initiation of prototyping
        • Responsible for Pre-Production Test
        • Coordinate and execute manufacturing kick-off
        • Review first of tooling samples
        • Conduct product test run
        • Approve product validation test
      • Responsible to initiate product set-up in all systems (TEVON, BEON, etc.)
      • Technical approval
        • Coordinates the process for approvals from AUDI AG within his field of competence
        • Ensures that AUDI AG issues approvals for respective local sourced products

     

Possible Tasks within this Role Contd.

• • Lifecycle phase:
    • After market introduction:
      • Comparison of project budget figures with actual figures
      • Support of organization (Field force, ports, dealers and customers) in case of  technical inquiries
      • Realization of pot. lifecycle measures (e.g. Software-Updates)
    • Overall Accessories portfolio
      • Data entry & management
      • Maintain data accuracy (supersessions, part introduction)
      • eCommerce data management
  • Management of local sourcing program
    • Strategic approach to source through local vendors for the US market to increase annual sales, building a local development business case focused on US market needs
    • Develop a domestic source strategy to increase offerings for future vehicles (focus on BEV’s)
    • Identification of gaps in AGA product portfolio to realize local sourced opportunities 
    • Research and evaluate product concepts for integration into the accessory portfolio
    • Develop business cases and product development applications for potential local products
  • Leads the overall product management process from ideation to market introduction

   

• Additional responsibilities – assign 20 % of time

  • • Consult After Sales Business Development Manager for all accessory business case formulations
    • Create component performance specifications
    • Lead discussions and feedbacks with Safety Affairs group
    • Organization and coordination of test fleet
    • Generate new product ideas and concepts
    • Support supplier interface and selection

Qualification requirements

• 7+ years of engineering or technical development experience (optional: experience within the VW Group or manufacturer level)
• Familiarity and/or experience with automotive accessories or parts
• Desired: VW Group AG and/or AUDI AG OEM engineering or technical development experience

Education

Required

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or in a related technical field

Desired

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Skills

• Advanced analytical skills relating to spreadsheet or database use
• Understanding of engineering principles
• Engineering drawing interpretation and creation
• Knowledge of engineering and testing standards
• Strong focus on customer service
• Familiarity with automotive accessories management (at best within VWGoA)
• Supplier Management
• Language skills:
  • English – Native or bilingual proficiency
• Leadership
• Strategy development / operational delivery
• Communication skills – interpersonal, presentation and written
• Influencing and negotiation skills
• Problem solving
• Resource management

Specialized Skills

Required

• Product and Process FMEA
• DVP&R coordination and management
• Understanding of core homologation processes and systems (e.g. BMG online)

Desired

• Working knowledge of MS Project
• CAD (e.g. CATIA) knowledge
• Hyper-KVS and Quasi-LIMS
• Project Management certification
• Understanding of AUDI PEP development process
• German language – professional working proficiency

Work Flexibility

20% domestic and international travel (suppliers/ test facilities / labs / headquarters)